This Tuesday, influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan were indicted on charges of human trafficking, rape, and setting up a criminal gang.
This new development comes months after Andrew’s dramatic arrest. As we previously reported, the Tate brothers were first arrested at their Bucharest home in December. In March, they were moved from custody to house arrest following a ruling by a Romanian judge.
Prosecutors went ahead and filed the charges against the brothers, who are both British-U.S. dual citizens, along with two Romanian women. Prosecutors have said the Tate brothers recruited their victims by seducing them and falsely claiming to want a relationship or marriage. The four defendants allegedly formed an organized criminal group in 2021 to commit the alleged human trafficking crimes in Romania. However, it was also in other countries including the US and the UK, according to l indictment deposited with the Bucharest court.
RELATED: Andrew Tate Released From Romanian Jail And Placed On House Arrest
Romanian prosecutors also said in the statement that the alleged victims were later taken to buildings in Ilfov County in Romania where they were threatened, intimidated, and placed under tight surveillance and control while being forced into debt.
Andrew has also been charged with raping one of the victims, while his brother Tristan has been charged with instigating others to violence. As CNN notes, they are set to face trial but it will not start immediately.
According to a statement obtained by CNN affiliate Antena3 in Romania, the Tate brothers’ legal team said it “will embrace the opportunity to fight in court and present arguments and evidence” that will help prove their innocence.
So What Next?
The legal team explains that now “the referral of the case to the Bucharest Court, the judge will set a hearing in which he will either communicate the indictment to the defenders chosen by Andrew and Tristan Tate or set a deadline for communicating the indictment by post. At the same hearing, the judge will discuss whether a preventive measure against the defendants is necessary,” CNN quotes.
“Our main objective will be to establish the truth and ensure a fair and impartial legal approach by presenting evidence and proof relevant to the case. The referral of the case for trial will allow us to present a comprehensive body of evidence, diligently gathered and prepared over time, which will undoubtedly be essential in exonerating the defendants.”